Mechanical dishwasher



Nov. 25, 1930. F. A. WALKER 1,782,950

MECHANICAL DISHWASHER.

Original Filed y 24, 192

//vvEN 7"0R 1 4mm,

A TTDR Ers f Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORREST A. WALKER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WALKER DISHWASHER CORPORATION, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MECHANICAL DISHWASHER Original application filed July 24, 1926, Serial No. 124,640. Divided and this application filed July 2,

1928. Serial -or baskets so that the dishes or other cul1-' 1 nary articles in the baskets may be washed, cleansed'and dried in a single operation, one

ofv the baskets being preferably supported r upon the bottom of the vat while the other basket is supported at a higher level upon the upper marginal edge of and within the vat. When the baskets loaded with dishes and other articles are placed in the relation described within the va't'preparatory to cleansing, rinsing and drying it frequently becomes expedient or necessary to place additional'dishes or to' remove some of the/dishes into' or from the lower basket and, as heretofore constructed and, assembled, it usually has not been possible to place or remove dishes from the lower -ba'sket without first removing the upper dish-supporting basket with the. dishes ,or other articles thereon which, of course, results in loss oftime and extra labor.

' 1 ll thereof around the central opening .An object of the present invention is to Z and preferably inclined upwardl and 'inwardly'toward the center or axis or retaining the dishes thereon and against the outer peripheral wall.

Another object is to provide the top of the vat with an inwardly projecting annular flange and to form the upper end of the basket with an outwardlyprojecting annular flange adapted to rest'upon the flanged top of thevat when in operative position and at the same time permit both baskets to be inserted and withdrawn through the open- 111g in the top of the -vat.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following, description. T.

The drawing represents a vertical sectional view of a mechanical dishwasher embodying the features of my invention.

As illustrated, the frame of the'machine comprises a substantially rectangular cap or top section 1 forming the top of a circular vat -2- and provided with inner and outer marginal flanges 3- and united by an intermediate roll at the top.

This cap or to portion 1 is provided with a centralre a'tively large circular opening -5 and an inwardly projecting horizontal ledge --6- surrounding the opening for receiving and supporting a-lid or cover --7-- and an upper tray or basket --8--, said opening being of sufiicient size to permit thepassage therethrough of the basket 8 and additional tra or basket 9.

The lower face of the edge 6- is rabbe'ted throughout its length for receiving the upper end of the vat 2 which is clamped to the underside of the cap. s'ectio n 1 by bolts '-,10 the latter bein arranged in spaced relation circumferentia 1y around the marginal edges of the upper end'of the vat.

These bolts are preferably hinged to apertured' lugs 11 on the underside of the top section -1 and are movable inslotted lugs 12. on the upper end of the vat to fac11i- 9 tate the=assembling of the parts 1 and 2', one upon the other..

The flange 4- at the rear side of the top section 1 is provided with vertical slots "13 opening from the bottom upwardly for receiving L-shaped bolts or screws -14 which are adapted to be screwed into the side walls as A-- of a room or to any other suit-' able upright standard, the inner ends of the screws or bolts 14L being preferably turned upwardly to enable the rear flange to be engaged therewith by a downward movement or removed therefrom by upward displacement.

The cap or top section -'1 is, therefore, supported at its rear side directly upon the wall A while the vat 2 is supported at its upper end entirely by the top 1 through the medium of the bolts -10- and when placed in operative position projects some distance above the lower edge of the marginal flange 4 so that the joint between the two sections will be concealed by said flange.

\ The lid or cover -7- is made in the form of a shallow inverted cup which is circular in plan and of slightly less diameter than the interior diameter of the annular flange -3 so as to rest upon the upper face ofthe ledge The vertical depth of the cover is slightly less than the corresponding depth ofthe flange --3 above the ledge 6 and, is provided with a substantially flat upper face which, when the lid is closed lies in a horizontal plane slightly below the upper edge of the cap section 1 to be used when closed for supporting various articles and also to prevent the 'upward displacement of the washing fluid when circulated in the vat by the impeller mechanism, presently described.

The rear sid of thecover -7- is proyided with hinge sections 15 which are pivoted at 16- to suitable lugs on the adjacent portions of the top section1- to permit the lid to be swung from a closed horizontal position upwardly and rearwardly' beyond a ver tical position or against the inner face ofsthe wall A--.

The main body of the vat"2 isslightly I tapered downwardly and is provided with an inverted conicalibottom 17-- having all opening in its apex for receiving a bushing -18', a post 19- and an impellershaft 20, the upper ,end of the bushing -18- being enlarged and engaged with the upper face of the adjacentportionof the bottom 3i7-- t3 form a water-tight joint therewith,

said bushing being extended downwardly some distance below the bottoni and threaded externally for receiving a nut 21 which,

togethewith the bushing and suitable packconstitutes a gland for' the reception of thepost 19.

This post extends through and some dismeans of a strap 24 and bolts -25-.

The front end of the bracket 23 extends under the apex of the bottom 17 and is provided with aear chamber 26 for receiving a gear 2 which is secured to the lower end of the upright impeller shaft -20.

The lower end of the tubular post -19 extends into an opening 28 in the top wall of the gear chamber 26- while the shaft 17 extends through and some distance below the tubular post 19 and has its lower end seated oncan end-thrust bearing -29- in the bottom wall of the gear chamber 26--, said bearing --29 being seated in the lower end of a socket --30- which receives the lower end of the shaft -20- and holds the latter against lateral movement. A

The bottom wall of the gear chamber 26- is made separate from the top wall to permit access to thege'ar and is secured thereto by screws or bolts 31, tofirmly hold those parts in fixed relation to each other when adjusted for use.

The front end of the bracket 23 is supported by a sectional leg 32 consisting of an upper' tubular section 33 and a lower section -34, the section -3? being threaded internally while the section 34 is threaded externally for engaging the internal threads and permittin the length of the leg toebeadjusted as may be required for properlysupporting the inner end of the bracket 23.

The leg --32-:- is coaxial with the axis of the vent -2-, the post --19 and shaft -20 and serves not only to partially support the vat through the medium of the bracket 23- and connection 24 and also through the niedium of the post -19- but also serves to resist the downward thrust of the impeller shaft 20 throu h the end-thrust bearing '-29 due to the ifting action of the impe ler upon the water.

The shaft -20 extends upwardly above the upper end of the tubular post --19-- and is threaded atits upper end for receiving and supporting an impeller 35-.

This impeller is provided with a central 'hub open at the bottom and closed at the top provided with a threaded surface of the conical bottom --17, said tom 17.

blades being provided with baffles ----37 projecting in the direction of rotation to limit the centrifugal throw of the water as the impeller isrevolved and also to assist in deflecting the water upwardly through the trays -9- and -8.- and against any dishes or utensils which may be supported in the trays, the tray 9 being supported u on.

the outer marginal edge of the inclined ot-.

Power means An electric motor 61- is secured by bolts --62 to the underside of the rear portion of the bracket --23 and preferably directly below the connecting strap -24-, said motor-having its armature shaft 63- provided witha worm meshing with the gear --27 for transmitting rotary motion to the impeller shaft -20-.

The bottom section of the gear chamber -Q6 is somewhat taperedwhile the upper section*33 of the leg -32- is hollow and adapted to receive the apex of the bottom section of the gear chamber and to abut against the same whereby, when the lower section 34 is adjusted to contact with the floor, the upper section may be adjusted to firmly engage and support the lower section of the'gear chamber and thereby to partially support the bracket -.-23 and vat 2-- in addition to its other function of resisting the downward thrust'of the impeller shaft --20- particularly when the impeller is in action for lifting and circulating the water circumferentially by centrifugal force within the vat -2 and against any dishes or utensils which may be supported in one or both of the trays 9- and '8- or in a supplemental tray --9 which is carried by the tray -9,

It will be noted from the foregoing description that the positioning of the leg ---32--- directly under the apex of the bottom of the vat 2 andvcoaxial with the impellershaft 20-- leaves aj'clear foot space around the front and sides of the leg below the vat so as to avoid contact of the feet therewith in moving around the machine in addition to its other functions ofpartially supporting the vat and metive power unitand resisting the downward thrust of said shaft due to the lifting action of the impeller upon the water in impelling the same upwardly and centrifugally with a whirling motion. 1 w

n will also'beobserved that when the lid' or cover 'Z is closed its upper flat surface together with the uppersurface of the surrounding portion of the cap section 1.- which is innearly the same horizontal plane affords a convenient; work-table for various uses while the general construction of the operative positions within the vat.

machine is simple, free from exposed moving parts and may be easily kept in a thoroughly sanitary condition.

The upper open work wire basket -8 is circular in top plan and open at the to andcomprises a series of upright posts v-- ar ranged in uniformly spaced relationcircumferentially about the axis of the basket and having their lower ends electricall welded or otherwise secured to the perip ery of" a lower ring -b-.

The upper ends of the posts -aare deflected outwardly at --a for engagement with the upper surface of the ledge 6- of the top section 1 for supporting the basket in a plane mainly below said ledge and within the vat and also permitting the basket upper ends by a circular ring -cto assist in holding them in fixed relation, said upper ring being disposed in a plane parallel with the lower ring b.

The basket is also formed with an in wardly and upwardly projecting bottom flange d-- com osed of a series of rings and tie ro s +-d" extending across the underside of the rings 0land electrically welded or otherwise secured thereto to hold the rings in radially spaced relation. aThe upper inner ring -(Z'- is of relatively large diameter as compared with the radial width of the bottom flange 0Z to form a correspondingly large central circular opening e coaxial with the lowerbasket -9 and (if greater diameter than the radius of the opening in the frame section -l to allow dishes to beypassed therethrough into and from the lower basket without disturbing either of the baskets from their normal It will be noted that the bottom flange d is inclined upwardly and inwardly from the lower outer ring b, and therefore'at an acute angle'to themarginal walls of the tray, the purpose of which is to retain the dishes in the basket around the central The opening 1n the top section -1- is of sufliciently large diameter to permit both of the baskets 8 and -9- therethrough this type of machine in which the impeller is used to insert the washing fluid from the bottom upwardly through both of'the baskets and against the dishes retained therein Y for the reason that it is frequently necessary to place additional dishes within the lower basket or to remove some of them from the basket in case they are too congested for eflicient cleansing by the circulation of the washing fluid.

What I claim is: I

In a mechanical dishwasher, a horizontal frame-section having a circular opening therethrough, a circular vat having its upper end engaging the frame-section around the opening, means for supporting the framesection independently of the vat, separate means for securing the vat to the framesection, andia circular openwork dish-supporting tray supported on said frame section within the opening independently of-the vat.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of May, 1928;

FORREST A. WALKER. 

